COLUMBIA  LIBRARIES  OFFSITE 

AVERY  FINE  ARTS  RESTRICTED 

llllllllllllli 

AR01 406426 


^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin 


A  BRIEF 
CONSIDERATION 


OF 


NEW  YORK 


1753 


'%lllllllllllllllllllllllllllll|(llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!llllllllllllllllin 


iEx  HtbrtH 


SEYMOUR    DURST 


-^  '  'Tort  nieuw    ^Tn/f€rdam.  o£  Je  Manhdtans 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
"Ever'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  hook." 


OLD    YORK     LIBRARY  —   OLD    YORK     FOUNDATION 


Avi;ry  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  or  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  LiiiRARV 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/briefconsideratiOOIivi 


CONSIDERATION 


OF     NEW     YORK 


Heartman's   Historical   Series   No.   39. 


A  BRIEF 

CONSIDERATION 

OF 

NEW  YORK 

With  Respect  To  Its 

NATURAL  ADVANTAGES 

Its  Superiority  in  Several  Instances 

Over  Some  of  the 

Neighboring  Colonies 

By  WILLIAM  LIVINGSTON 

Reprinted  from 
THE  INDEPENDENT  REFLECTOR 

1753 

EDITED   BY 

EARL  GREGG  SWEM 

LIBRARIAN  WILLIAM  AND  MARY  COLLEGE 


Forty-one   Copies  Printed   for 

CHARLES  F.  HEARTMAN 
Metuchen,  New  Jersey,  1925 


offsnc 

/  '2-  "^ 


No of  Forty-one  Copies  Printed. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 

In  Number  8  of  'The  Independent  Reflector,"  Thurs- 
day, January  18,  1753,  William  Livingston  printed  the 
first  instalment  of  **A  Brief  Consideration  of  New  York, 
with  respect  to  its  Natural  Advantages:  Its  Superiority 
in  several  Instances,  over  some  of  the  Neighboring  Col- 
onies." The  second  and  final  instalment  was  printed 
in  Number  52  of  The  Independent  Reflector,  November 
22,  1753/i>  The  author  has  presented  his  thought  with 
such  clearness  and  force,  and  with  such  prophetic  vision, 
that  these  two  numbers  of  the  Reflector  constitute  a  dis- 
tinct contribution  to  the  history  of  the  development  of 
New  York  City.  The  author  did  not  write  as  a  modern 
press  agent,  with  all  the  paraphernalia  of  exaggeration, 
but  as  one  who  loved  his  native  province,  with  a  desire 
to  proclaim  its  advantages  modestly,  and  to  offer  some 
suggestions  for  its  commercial  improvement.  The  de- 
velopment of  New  York  province  and  of  its  chief  city  into 
the  Empire  State  and  City  fully  confirm  the  opinions  of 
William  Livingston  as  expressed  in  these  two  numbers 
of  the  Reflector. 

William  Livingston,  the  editor  and  founder  of  "The 
Independent  Reflector,"  was  born  at  Albany,  November 


(1)    This  was  the  last  number  published  of  The  Independent  Reflector 

I 


30,  1723.  He  was  the  fifth  child  of  Philip  and  Catharine 
Van  Brugh  Livingston.  In  1737  he  entered  Yale  College 
and  graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1741.  In  a 
short  time  thereafter  he  was  entered  as  a  law  student  in 
the  office  of  James  Alexander,  the  constant  advocate  of 
popular  rights  and  privileges,  and  one  of  the  most  emi- 
nent lawyers  in  the  province.  In  the  trial  of  Zenger,  in 
1734,  Alexander  supported  the  cause  of  the  printer 
with  great  ability.  In  1748  Livingston  had  completed 
his  preparation  for  the  law  and  received  his  license. 
His  character  had  already  displayed  originality  and  much 
independence.  It  was  not  strange  then  that  he  should 
establish  **The  Independent  Reflector,*'  the  first  number 
of  which  appeared  on  November  30,  1752.  Mr.  Theo- 
dore Sedgwick,  his  biographer,  says  "This  was,  I  believe, 
the  first  periodical  in  the  colonies,  certainly  in  New  York, 
which,  with  no  professed  attachment  to  any  political 
party,  devoted  itself  to  a  close  and  impartial  scrutiny  of 
the  existing  establishments,  and  pursuing  its  course  with- 
out fear  or  favor,  had  for  its  object  the  exposure  of  official 
abuse,  negligence,  and  corruption  in  whatever  rank  they 
were  to  be  found. "(2)  j^  the  eleventh  number  of  the 
work,  when  he  had  become  somewhat  excited  by  opposi- 
tion, the  author  thus  describes  his  purpose:  *The  Re- 
flector is  determined  to  proceed  unawed  and  alike  fear- 
less of  the  humble  scoundrel  and  the  eminent  villain. 
The  cause  he  is  engaged  in  is  a  glorious  cause.  'Tis  the 
cause  of  truth  and  liberty:  what  he  intends  to  oppose  is 
superstition  and  bigotry,  priestcraft,  tyrrany,  servitude, 


(2)      Sedgwick — Life  of  William  Livingston,  1833.     p.  74. 

II 


public  mismanagement,  and  dishonesty  in  office.  The 
things  he  proposes  to  teach  are  the  nature  and  excellence 
of  our  Constitution,  the  inestimable  value  of  liberty,  the 
disastrous  effects  of  bigotry,  the  shame  and  horror  of 
bondage,  the  importance  of  religion  unpolluted  and  un- 
adulterated with  superstitious  additions  and  inventions 
of  priests.  He  should  also  rejoice  to  be  instrumental  in 
the  improvement  of  commerce  and  husbandry/'(2>  In  the 
last  sentence  we  find  his  reason  for  devoting  two  numbers 
of  the  Reflector  to  "A  Brief  Consideration  of  New  York, 
with  Respect  to  its  natural  Advantages."  With  a  royal 
governor  controlling  political  thought  and  an  obsequious 
clergy  representing  the  dominant  church,  the  established 
Church  of  England,  we  may  be  sure  that  the  path  of  such 
an  outspoken  and  daring  editor  would  be  beset  with  dif- 
ficulties. "The  editor  was  defamed  in  private  society 
and  denounced  from  the  pulpit.  The  mayor  recommended 
the  grand  jury  to  present  the  work  as  a  libel ;  the  author 
was  charged  with  profanity,  irreligion  and  sedition,  and 
his  printer,  alternately  menaced  and  cajoled  by  the  en- 
emies of  the  paper,  yielded  at  length  to  their  efforts  and 
refused  to  continue  it."(^>  Livingston  v/as  especially  bit- 
ter in  his  denunciation  of  the  attempt  to  establish  the 
new  college(^>  by  charter  rather  than  by  act  of  the  legis- 
lature. His  argument  for  the  latter  method  was  that 
this  would  permit  a  choice  of  college  officials  who  would 
not  be  dominated  by  the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church. 


(3)  Sedgwick  p.  75. 

(4)  Sedgwick  p.  76. 

(5)  Now   Columbia  University. 

Ill 


There  were  other  contributors  to  the  Reflector  besides 
Livingston,  their  letters  appearing  under  the  names  of 
*'Shadrack  Plebeianus/'  "Atticus/'  and  "Philathes." 
Sedgwick  affirms  that  Livingston's  own  pieces  may  be 
easily  recognized  by  their  editorial  character,  and  by  the 
use  of  certain  letters  for  signatures.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  Livingston  was  the  author  of  the  subject  mat- 
ter of  this  reprint,  "A  brief  Consideration  of  New  York  " 
for,  at  the  end  of  the  first  instalment  the  editorial  as- 
sumption of  the  authorship  of  it  is  unmistakable. 

So  great  a  reputation  had  the  "Independent  Reflector" 
established  that  there  was  an  insistent  demand  for  the 
republication  of  all  the  numbers.  It  was  accordingly, 
republished,  with  a  long  preface  by  Mr.  Livingston,  in 
January,  1754. 

Sedgwick  says  that  the  printers  of  Boston  and  Phila- 
delphia, when  approached  for  its  republication,  refused 
to  have  anything  to  do  with  it.  The  title  page  of  the 
reprint  bears  the  imprint  "Printed  (until  tyrannically 
suppressed)  in  1753." 

The  vigorous  sentiments  expressed  in  the  "Independent 
Reflector"  were  influential  in  developing  a  liberal  con- 
struction of  the  political  and  religious  establishments 
prior  to  the  revolution.  This  paper  was  widely  read  and 
quoted.  President  James  Madison  is  authority  for  the 
statement  that  the  subject  matter  of  the  Reflector  was 
discussed  frequently  by  the  Princeton  students  of  his  day. 

Livingston's  career  at  the  New  York  bar  was  eminently 
successful.     In  1772,  he  retired  to  his  country  seat,  Lib- 

IV 


erty  Hall,  near  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.  From  this  time,  he 
was  closely  identified  with  the  political  affairs  of  New 
Jersey,  representing  it  in  the  first,  second,  and  third  Con- 
tinental Congresses.  He  was  chosen  its  first  governor, 
and  was  reelected  annually  until  his  death,  July  25,  1790. 
A  comprehensive  biography  of  William  Livingston,  writ- 
ten in  the  light  of  the  manuscript  and  other  source 
material  now  available,  is  much  to  be  desired. 

E.  G.  SWEM. 


A  brief  Consideration  of  NEW-YORK,  with  respect 
to  its  natural  Advantages:  Its  Superiority  in 
several  Instances,  over  some  of  the  neigh- 
boring Colonies. 


O  Fortunatns  niniiiim  Bona  si  sua  norint  Eboracos. 

Virg. 

Awake  the  Muse,  bid  Industry  rejoice, 
And  the  rough  Sons  of  lowest  Labour  smile. 

Thorn.  Brit. 


WITH  Respect  to  what  Nature  has  done  for 
us,  there  is  not  a  happier  People  in  the 
World,  than  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Pro- 
vince. I  hope  the  assigning  a  few  Instances  from 
whence  this  Happiness  is  derived,  will  not  be  dis- 
pleasing to  them,  as  it  tends  to  inflame  them  with  a 
Love  of  their  Country,  and  at  the  same  Time  excite 
their  Gratitude  for  the  Happiness  they  enjoy. 

The  Necessaries  of  Life,  which  for  that  Reason, 
are  its  most  substantial  Blessings,  we  possess  with 


the  richest  Afliiuence.  The  natural  Strength  and 
Fertility  of  the  Soil  we  live  upon,  will,  by  Grazing 
and  Tillage,  always  continue  to  us,  the  inexhaustible 
Source  of  a  profuse  Abundance.  There  is  nothing 
we  possess,  that  Mankind  can  well  be  without,  and 
scarce  any  Thing  they  really  want,  but  we  either  en- 
joy, or  may  easily  procure,  in  luxuriant  Plenty. 

Provisions,  in  short,  are  our  Staple,  and  whatever 
Country  sufficiently  abounds  with  so  necessary  a 
Commodity,  can  never  fail  of  Wealth,  a  sure  Maga- 
zine !  which  will  always  be  attended  with  Power  and 
Plenty,  and  many  other  Springs  of  social  Happiness, 
as  its  natural  Concomitants.  The  Want  of  such  an 
unfailing  Staple,  is  a  Fountain  of  Misery,  to  a  Pro- 
vince on  the  East,  of  more  Shew  than  Substance, 
Pom.p  and  Riches.  By  constant  Supplies  from  our 
Exuberance,  we  hold  them  in  Debt,  and  annually  in- 
crease it;  while  we  are  so  happy,  as  to  taste  the 
Sweets  of  the  Truth  of  what  they  have  remarked, 
that  there  are  fewer  poor  Men  in  this,  than  in  any 
one  of  the  Plantations  on  the  Continent.  I  have, 
myself,  spent  a  Month  in  their  Metropolis,  the  most 


splendid  Town  in  North- America,  not  without  some 
Pleasure,  in  reflecting,  that  I  had  not  a  Morsel  of 
Bread,  even  at  their  common  Tables,  that  was  not 
the  Produce  of  this  Colony:  Nor  has  the  prettiest 
Beau  in  the  Town,  so  easy  an  Access  to  their  Ladies, 
as  a  certain  Baker  of  ours,  universally  celebrated 
there,  for  the  Goodness  of  his  Biskets. 

But  this  Opulence  is  not  our  only  Advantage,  for 
raising  the  Trade  of  this  Province,  and  enlarging  its 
Extent:  Every  Thing  in  it  conspires  to  make  New- 
York  the  best  Mart  on  the  Continent.  Our  Coasts 
are  regular,  and  the  Navigation  up  to  the  City,  from 
the  Sea,  short  and  bold,  and  by  a  good  Light-house, 
might  be  rendered  safe  and  easy. 

High-Roads,  which  in  most  trading  Countries,  are 
extremely  expensive,  and  awake  a  continual  Atten- 
tion for  their  Reparation,  demand  from  us,  compara- 
tively speaking,  scarce  any  public  Notice  at  all.  The 
whole  Province  is  contained  in  two  narrow  Oblongs, 
extending  from  the  City  East  and  North,  having 
Water  Carriage  from  the  Extremity  of  One,  and 
from  the  Distance  of  One  Hundred  and  Sixty  Miles 


of  the  Other;  and  by  the  most  accurate  Calculation, 
has  not,  at  a  Medium,  above  Twelve  Miles  of  Land 
Carriage  throughout  its  whole  Extent.  This  is  one 
of  the  strongest  Motives  to  the  Settlement  of  a  new 
Coimtry,  as  it  affords  the  easiest  and  most  speedy 
Conveyance  from  the  remotest  Distances,  and  at 
the  lowest  Expence.  The  Effects  of  this  Advantage 
are  greater  than  we  usually  observe,  and  are,  there- 
fore not  sufficiently  admired. 

The  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  has  a  fine  Soil,  and, 
thro'  the  Importation  of  Germans,  abounds  with  In- 
habitants ;  but  being  a  vast  inland  Country,  its  Pro- 
duce must,  of  Consequence,  be  brought  to  a  Market 
over  a  great  Extent  of  Ground,  and  all  by  Land-Car- 
riage. Hence  it  is,  that  Philadelphia  is  crowded 
with  Waggons,  Carts,  Horses,  and  their  Drivers;  A 
Stranger,  at  his  first  Entrance,  would  imagine  it  to  be 
a  Place  of  Traffic,  beyond  any  one  Town  in  the  Col- 
onies; while  at  New- York  in  particular,  to  which  the 
Produce  of  the  Country  is  all  brought  by  Water, 
there  is  more  Business,  at  least  Business  of  Profit, 
tho'  with  less  Shew  and  Appearance :  Not  a  Boat  in 


our  Rivers  is  navigated  with  more  than  two  or 
three  Men  at  most ;  and  these  are  perpetually  com- 
ing in  from,  and  returning  to,  all  Parts  of  the  adja- 
cent Country,  in  the  same  Employments,  that  fill  the 
City  of  Philadelphia  with  some  Hundreds  of  Men, 
who,  in  respect  to  the  public  Advantage,  may  justly 
be  said,  to  be  laboriously  idle :  For,  let  any  one  nicely 
compute  the  Expence  of  a  Waggon,  with  its  Tackl- 
ing; the  Time  of  two  Men  in  attending  it;  their 
Maintenance;  four  Horses,  and  the  Charge  of  their 
Provender,  on  a  Journey  of  One,  tho'  they  often 
come,  Two  Hundred  Miles;  and  he  will  find,  these 
several  Particulars  accumulate  a  Sum  far  from  being 
inconsiderable.  All  this  Time,  the  New-York  Farmer 
is  in  the  Course  of  his  proper  Business,  and  the 
unincumbered  Acquisitions  of  his  Calling;  for,  at  a 
Medium,  there  is  scarce  a  Farmer  in  the  Province, 
that  cannot  transport  the  Fruits  of  a  Year's  Labour, 
from  the  best  Farm,  in  three  Days,  at  a  proper  Sea- 
son, to  some  convenient  Landing,  where  the  Market 
will  be  to  his  Satisfaction,  and  all  his  Wants  from 
the  Merchant,  cheaply  supplied :  Besides  which,  one 
Boat  shall  steal  into  the  Harbour  of  New- York,  with 


a  Lading  of  more  Burden  and  value,  than  forty  Wag- 
gons, One  Hundred  and  Sixty  Horses,  and  Eighty 
Men,  into  Philadelphia ;  and  perhaps  with  less  Noise, 
Bluster  or  Shew,  than  One, 

Prodigious  is  the  Advantage  we  have  in  this  Ar- 
ticle alone ;  I  shall  not  enter  into  an  abstruse  Calcu- 
lation, to  evince  the  exact  Value  of  it,  in  all  the 
Lights  in  which  it  may  be  considered ;  thus  much  is 
certain,  that  barely  on  Account  of  our  easy  Carriage, 
the  Profits  of  Farming  with  us,  exceed  those  in  Penn- 
sylvania, at  least  by  Thirty  per  Cent,  and  that  Differ- 
ence, in  Favour  of  our  Farmers,  is  of  itself  sufficient 
to  enrich  them ;  while  the  others  find  the  Disadvan- 
tage they  are  exposed  to,  so  heavy,  (especially  the 
remote  Inhabitants  of  their  Country)  that  a  bare 
Subsistance  is  all  they  can  reasonably  hope  to  obtain. 
Take  this  Province  throughout,  the  Expence  of  trans- 
porting a  Bushel  of  Wheat,  is  but  Two  pence,  for  the 
Distance  of  One  Hundred  Miles;  but  the  same  Quan- 
tity, at  the  like  Distance  in  Pennsylvania,  will  always 
exceed  us  One  Shilling  at  least.  The  Proportion  be- 
tween us,  in  the  Conveyance  of  every  Thing  else,  is 


f 


nearly  the  same.  How  great,  then,  are  the  Incum- 
brances to  which  they  are  exposed !  What  an  im- 
mense Charge  is  saved  to  us!  How  sensible  must 
the  Embarrassments  they  are  subject  to,  be  to  a  trad- 
ing People ! 

There  is  Nothing  more  common,  in  Connecticut 
and  the  Massachusetts-Bay  Colonies,  in  discoursing 
of  their  Provinces,  than  for  Gentlemen  to  urge  the 
great  Number  of  their  Towns,  as  a  Proof  of  the  Pros- 
perity of  their  Country;  whereas  Nothing  can  be  of 
more  mischievous  Consequence  to  all  new  Settle- 
ments. Sound  Policy  will  teach  them,  that  Hus- 
bandry calls  for  their  first  Attention ;  erecting  Town- 
ships being  never  adviseable,  till  the  Number  of 
Planters  can  supply  their  Necessities;  nor  even  then, 
are  they  to  be  encouraged,  unless  the  Rise  of  Arts 
and  useful  Manufactures,  render  the  reciprocal  Aids 
of  the  Inhabitants  indispensibly  necessary.  Every 
Town  unemployed  in  these,  is  a  dead  Weight  upon 
the  Public ;  for  when  Families  collect  themselves  into 
Townships,  many  Tracts  of  Land,  must,  of  Conse- 
quence, lie  unimproved:  Besides,  such  Persons  will 


always  endeavor  to  support  themselves  by  Barter 
and  Exchange ;  which  can  by  no  means  augment  the 
Riches  of  the  Public.  The  same  Commodity  passing 
thro'  never  so  many  different  Hands  in  one  Com- 
munity, tho*  it  may  inrich  an  Individual,  others  must 
be  poorer,  in  an  exact  proportion  to  his  Gains;  but 
the  collective  Body  of  the  People  not  at  all:  Now, 
suppose,  what  really  is  true,  that  not  a  Town  in  those 
Provinces,  of  which  there  are  not  less  than  three 
Hundred,  is,  in  the  least  Degree,  supported  by  any 
kind  of  Manufacture  whatsoever;  how  vast  must  be 
their  Consumption!  how  incredible  their  Expence! 
how  ruinous  the  Loss  of  their  Time !  and  how  difficult 
the  Remedy!  This  Subject  puts  me  in  Mind  of  the 
Story  a  Gentleman  in  this  Province  told  me,  of  his 
Tenant.  James  had  to  his  Wife's  Portion,  a  Barrel 
of  Rum,  upon  the  Strength  of  which  he  set  up  for  a 
Tavarn-keeper;  he  purchased  a  Licence,  and  the 
married  Couple  settled  it  as  an  inviolable  Rule,  that 
not  a  Dram  should  be  drawn,  but  for  Cash  upon  the 
Nail: — A  Dram  was  sold,  and  James  had  a  Groat 
for  it:  The  Day  after,  with  that  Groat,  James  pur- 
chased a  Dram  of  Betty:  It  was  not  long,  before 


Betty^s  Qualms  extorted  the  Groat  for  a  Dram  to 
relieve  her ;  then  James  took  the  Money.  The  Cash 
kept  a  constant  Circulation,  till  the  Barrel  was 
empty.  The  Application  of  this  Story  to  the  Pro- 
vinces I  have  mentioned,  is  as  easy,  as  to  determine, 
whether  James  had  increased  his  Wife's  Portion,  or 
not. 

Another  Consequence  of  their  clustering  into 
Towns,  is  Luxury ; — a  great  and  mighty  Evil,  carry- 
ing all  before  it,  and  crumbling  States  and  Empires, 
into  slow,  but  inevitable  Ruin. — Like  sweetened 
Poison,  it  is  soft  but  strong,  enervates  the  Constitu- 
tion, and  triumphs  at  last,  in  the  Weakness  and  Rot- 
teness  of  the  Patient.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  a 
Number  of  People,  and  absolutely  so,  if  they  are 
idle,  to  live  together,  but  they  will  very  soon  at- 
tempt to  outvie  each  other,  in  Dress,  Tables,  and  the 
like.  This  is  the  Case  in  the  Massachusetts-Bay: 
Let  a  Man  enter  one  of  their  Country  Churches,  and 
he  will  be  struck  with  the  Gaiety  of  Ladies,  in  Silks 
and  Lawn ;  while,  perhaps,  the  Houses  they  came  out 
of,  shall  scarce  afford  a  clean  Chair  to  sit  on. — Bos- 


ton  is  their  Pattern,  and  too,  too  closely  imitated! 
I  knew-  a  Gentleman,  that  could  tell  his  Distance 
from  it,  by  the  Length  of  the  Ruffles  of  a  Belle  of  the 
Town  he  was  in;  and  perhaps  it  may  deserve  the 
serious  Consideration,  of  their  Society  for  the  Pro- 
motion of  Industry,  and  Employment  of  the  Poor, 
whether  the  first  Step  they  took,  should  not  be,  to 
dissipate  their  Towns,  and  multiply  the  Number  of 
their  Farms.  I  am  sure,  it  would  turn  out  in  the  End, 
a  Scheme  more  to  their  Advantage,  than  peopling 
their  Eastern  Frontiers;  tho'  it  had  no  other  Effect, 
than  to  sink  the  Ballance  we  have  against  them  in 
Trade;  which,  as  some  of  their  own  Merchants,  of 
Truth  and  Intelligence,  have  informed  me,  is  not  less 
than  Forty  Thousand  Pounds  per  Annum,  lawful 
Money  of  this  Province. 

Of  the  Inconveniences  of  too  many  Towns,  we 
have,  as  yet,  no  Cause  of  Complaint.  The  Lands 
near  New- York,  and  at  a  considerable  Distance  from 
it,  were,  in  the  Infancy  of  this  Colony,  taken  up  by  a 
few  Gentlemen  in  large  Tracts;  which,  tho'  it  has 
been  some  Discouragement,  to  the  Improvement  of 

10 


the  Lands  within  those  Grants,  has  nevertheless  had 
its  Use ;  as,  in  Consequence  thereof,  our  Settlements 
have  been  carried  up  Hudson's  River,  to  the  Ex- 
tremes of  the  Province ;  and  thereby  made  that,  the 
Heart  of  the  Colony,  and  the  securest  Retreat,  which, 
at  every  Indian  War,  would  otherwise  have  been, 
what  our  Northern  Frontiers  were  the  last,  derelict 
and  abandoned,  or  a  miserable  Aceldema  and  Field 
of  Blood;  but  contains  now,  many  Thousands  of 
flourishing  Farms;  which  are  daily  improving  and 
increasing,  as  well  to  the  Advancement  of  private 
Estates,  as  the  publick  Emolument. 

Copious  as  this  subject  is,  I  shall  beg  Leave  to 
resume  it  but  once,  in  some  future  Paper,  and  in  the 
mean  Time,  take  this  Opportunity  to  fulfil  my  Prom- 
ise, by  giving  Place  to  a  Letter  from  one  of  my  most 
industrious  Correspondents. 


11 


The  Consideration  of  the  Natural  Advantages 

of  New  York 

Resumed  and  Concluded 


Lo!  swarming  o'er  the  new  discover'd  World, 
Gay  Colonies  extend;  the  Calm  retreat 
Of  undeserv'd  Distress,  the  better  Home 
Of  those  whom  Bigots  chase  from  foreign  Lands: 
Not  built  on  Rapine,  Servitude  and  War, 
And,  in  their  Turn  some  petty  Tyrant's  Prey; 
But  bound  by  social  Freedom,  firm  they  rise; 
Of  Britain's  Empire  the  Support  and  Strength. 

Thom.  Lib. 


THO*  Boasting  in  general  be  a  Foible  worthy  of 
Contempt,  yet  when  our  Country  is  the  Sub- 
ject, our  warmest  Commendations  are,  me- 
thinks,  neither  illaudable  nor  disgraceful.  So  early 
do  we  receive  this  patriot  Passion,  and  so  intimately 
are  we  concerned  in  that  Object  of  our  Affections, 
that  the  Praises  we  bestow  upon  the  Place  of  our 
Nativity,  tho'  often  repeated,  justly  admit  of  Apol- 
ogy, and  even  of  Excuse.  For  my  own  Part,  to  dwell 
upon  so  interesting  a  Theme,  affects  me  with  singu- 

12 


lar  Pleasure ;  and  the  Evidences  which  appear  in  my 
Papers  of  an  unfeigned  Regard  to  this  Province,  I 
esteem  their  greatest  Ornament.  My  Countrymen 
at  least  can  have  no  Reason  to  repine  at  the  Contin- 
uation of  this  Subject.  The  Public  Weal  is  my  only 
Aim,  and  I  flatter  myself  that  the  Display  of  our 
superior  Advantages  naturally  tends  to  advance  it. 
I  proceed,  therefore,  according  to  my  Promise,  to 
resume  the  Detail,  and  make  it  the  Subject  of  an- 
other Reflector. 

With  regard  to  our  Situation  in  respect  of  foreign 
Markets,  New- York  is  to  be  preferred  to  any  of  our 
Colonies.  It  lies  in  the  Center  of  North-America, 
and  is  therefore  most  happily  situated  for  support- 
ing a  Trade  with  all  the  Plantations  from  Georgia  to 
Hallifax.  Connecticut  on  the  East,  and  New-Jersey 
on  the  West,  ai'e  fertile  and  well  cultivated  Colonies, 
and  thro'  natural  Necessity,  must  always  contribute 
their  Aids  in  rendering  this  City  a  plentiful  Mart,  be- 
cause their  Exports  cannot  with  equal  Ease  and 
Safety  be  conveyed  to  any  other  Port  of  considerable 
Traffick.      The  Projection  of  Cape  Cod  into  the 

13 


Ocean,  renders  the  Navigation  from  Connecticut  to 
Boston,  at  some  Seasons,  extremely  perilous.  Nor 
is  it  uncommon  for  their  Coasters  to  be  driven  off  the 
Cape,  and  obliged  to  winter  in  the  West-Indies.  But 
their  Vi|?inity  to  us  affords  them  a  safe  and  easy 
Conveyance  to  New- York  thro'  the  Sound.  Phila- 
delphia, indeed,  joins  New- Jersey  on  the  West;  but 
it  is  well, worth  remarking,  that  the  Lands  adjacent 
to  the  River  Delaware,  on  the  New-Jersey  Shore,  be- 
low Philadelphia,  are  unprofitable  Barrens,  and  the 
River  navigable  but  a  few  Miles  above  it ;  and  that  a 
voyage  from  the  eastern  Part  of  New-Jersey  to  Phil- 
adelphia, exposed  to  the  open  Sea  on  one  side,  and  a 
hazardous  Coast  on  the  other,  and  then  to  a  danger- 
ous Navigation  in  Delaware,  is  a  Circuit  of  not  less 
than  Three  Hundred  Miles;  while  four  Rivers,  roll- 
ing from  the  Heart  of  that  Colony,  disembogue 
within  a  few  Miles  of  our  City.  And  thus  two  Prov- 
inces, both  capable  of  the  highest  Improvements, 
from  their  natural  Situation  conspire  to  aggrandize 
New- York,  almost  as  effectually  as  if  they  were  part 
of  this  Colony.  Not  one  of  the  Provinces  has  a 
River  so  far  navigable  into  the  Country  as  ours; 


14 


whence  it  is  that  the  Indian  Trade  from  those  vast 
Territories  on  the  North,  determines  its  Course  to 
Albany,  and  thence  down  Hudson's  River  to  New- 
York,  as  naturally  as  a  Stream  gliding  in  its  proper 
Channel. 

Our  Harbour,  or  rather  Road,  is  as  safe  as  others 
generally  are,  most  of  them  being  subject  to  impor- 
tant Objections,  and  often  indebted  for  their  Secur- 
ity to  very  expensive  Improvements  of  Art.  The 
mooring  Ground  is  good,  free  from  Bars,  and  not  in- 
commoded by  Rocks,  the  Water  of  an  equal  and 
convenient  Depth,  and  the  Shore  bold  to  the  very 
Edges ;  and  but  for  floating  Cakes  of  Ice  in  the  Win- 
ter, our  Shipping  would  be  intirely  exempted  from 
Danger.  Nor  is  it  difficult  perfectly  to  secure  them 
from  that  Inconvenience.  The  Place  called  Rotten- 
Row,  has  hitherto  been  their  only  Assylum,  tho'  un- 
happily of  late,  it  annually  becomes  less  and  less  fit 
for  that  Purpose :  The  Scheme  I  propose  to  perpetu- 
ate, or  rather  increase  its  former  Usefulness,  is  both 
simple  and  cheap.  The  whole  Length  of  this  Open- 
ing should  be  filled  up  to  the  Extent  of  One  Hundred 

15 


Feet,  and  from  each  End  of  it  a  strong  open  Pier 
carried  out  into  the  River;  between  which,  our  Ship- 
ping will  have  all  proper  Security  and  the  greatest 
Conveniency  for  lading,  unlading,  and  careening, 
that  can  either  be  expected  or  desired.  The  free 
Passage  of  the  Tides  under  the  Bridges  of  the  Piers, 
will  always  preserve  a  sufficient  Depth  of  Water. 
The  Part  proposed  to  be  filled  up  will  be  very  spaci- 
ous, and  being  at  an  equal  Distance  from  the  two 
Extremes  of  the  Town,  the  fittest  Place  for  erecting 
a  large  Market-House,  very  advantageous  to  the  ad- 
jacent Inhabitants,  as  well  as  ornamental  and  con- 
venient to  the  whole  City.  By  this  Alteration  also, 
the  putrid  Stench,  arising  from  that  Sink  of  Corrup- 
tion, so  prejudicial  to  the  Healths  and  Lives  of  the 
People,  will  be  effectually  prevented.  The  contin- 
ual Evacuations  of  the  Sewers  at  the  Slip  and  Meal 
Markets,  as  well  as  the  main  Stream  of  the  River, 
have  already  rendered  Rotten-Row  much  shallower 
than  it  was,  and  will  make  it  in  Time,  incapable  of 
skreening  our  Ships  from  the  Ice:  But  this  Project 
will  always  protect  them  from  that  Hazard  and 
Damage. 

16 


The  City  of  New- York  consists  of  about  Two 
Thousand  Five  Hundred  Buildings.  It  is  a  Mile  in 
Length,  and  at  a  Medium  not  above  half  that  in 
Breadth.  On  the  South  it  forms  a  Point  into  a  large 
Bay.  The  East  Side  lies  on  a  Streight,  which  at 
eighteen  or  twenty  Miles  eastward,  opens  to  the 
Sound.  It  adjoins  to  Hudson's  River  on  the  West; 
and  such  is  its  Figure,  its  Center  of  Business,  and  the 
Situation  of  its  Buildings,  that  the  Cartage  in  Town 
from  one  Part  to  another,  does  not  at  a  Medium, 
exceed  one  Quarter  of  a  Mile :  The  prodigious  Ad- 
vantage of  which,  to  a  trading  City,  is  more  easily 
conceived  than  expressed.  It  facilitates  and  expe- 
dites the  lading  and  unlading  of  ships  and  Boats, 
saves  Time  and  Labour,  and  is  attended  with 
unnumerable  Conveniences  to  its  Inhabitants. 

The  City  of  Philadelphia  is  situated  along  a  fresh 
Water  River,  at  the  distance  of  near  two  hundred 
Miles  from  the  Sea.  The  Navigation  up  to  it  is 
tedious,  and  as  I  said  before,  difficult  and  dangerous. 
During  the  Severity  of  Winter,  it  is  locked  up  from 
all  marine  Correspondence  with  the  rest  of  the 

17 


World,  and  thus,  necessarily  for  several  Months 
every  Year,  exposed  to  an  almost  total  Stagnation 
of  Trade.  Numberless  must  be  the  Inconveniences 
resulting  from  this  their  melancholly  Imprisonment 
— Commerce  groans — a  listless  constrained  Inactiv- 
ity prevails,  and  an  unprofitable  Consumption  de- 
vours the  Fruit  of  their  Labours,  'till  the  returning 
Spring  takes  off  the  Embargo,  unlocks  their  River, 
and  again  opens  the  Theatre  of  Business  and  Profit. 
But  the  Trade  of  New- York  boasts  an  Exemption 
from  such  Embarassments — No  Season  prevents  our 
Ships  from  launching  into  the  Ocean  and  pursuing 
their  Traffick — The  Depth  of  Winter  scarce  obstructs 
our  Commerce,  and  during  its  greatest  Severity,  an 
equal  unrestrained  Activity  runs  thro'  all  Ranks, 
Orders  and  Employments.  Even  then  our  Mer- 
chants exult  in  the  Return  of  their  Ships,  while  our 
Neighbours  of  Philadelphia  wait  for  Intelligences 
they  are  unable  to  improve,  or  concert  Schemes 
which  it  is  beyond  their  Power  to  execute. 

Tho'  we  abound  in  no  one  Kind  of  Fish  sufficient 
for  a  Staple,  yet  such  is  our  Happiness  in  this  Article, 

•18 


that  not  one  of  the  Colonies  affords  a  Fish-Market  of 
such  a  plentiful  Variety  as  ours.  Boston  has  none 
but  Sea  Fish,  and  of  these  Philadelphia  is  entirely 
destitute,  being  only  furnished  with  the  Fish 
of  a  fresh  Water  River.  New-York  is  sufficiently 
supplied  with  both  Sorts.  Nor  ought  our  vast  plenty 
of  Oysters  to  pass  without  particular  Observation: 
in  their  Quality  they  are  exceeded  by  those  of  no 
Country  whatsoever.  People  of  all  Ranks  amongst 
us,  in  general  prefer  them  to  any  other  Kind  of  Food. 
Nor  is  any  Thing  wanting,  save  a  little  of  the  Filings 
of  Copper,  to  render  them  equally  relishing  even  to 
an  English  Palate,  with  the  best  from  Colchester. 
They  continue  good  eight  Months  in  the  Year,  and 
are,  for  two  months  longer,  the  daily  Food  of  our 
Poor.  Their  Beds  are  within  View  of  the  Town, 
and  I  am  informed,  that  an  Oysterman  industriously 
employed,  may  clear  Eight  or  Ten  Shillings  a  Day. 
Some  Gentlemen  a  few  Years  ago  were  at  the  Pains 
of  computing  the  Value  of  this  Shellfish  to  our  Pro- 
vince in  general.  The  Estimate  was  made  with 
Judgment  and  Accuracy,  and  their  Computation 
amounted  to  Ten  Thousand  Pounds  per  Annum. 

19 


Their  Increase  and  Consumption  are  since  very  much 
enhanced,  and  thus  also  their  additional  Value  in 
Proportion.  I  confess  it  has  often  given  me  great 
Pleasure  to  reflect,  how  many  of  my  poor  Country- 
men are  comfortably  supported  by  this  Article,  who 
without  it  could  scarcely  subsist,  and  for  that  Reason 
beg  to  be  excused  for  the  Length  of  this  Reflection 
on  so  humble  a  Subject,  tho'  it  might  justly  be  urged 
to  the  Honour  of  our  Oysters,  that,  considered  in 
another  View,  they  are  serviceable  both  to  our  King 
and  Country. 

It  is  generally  believed,  that  this  Province  abounds 
with  a  Variety  of  Minerals.  Of  Iron  in  particular 
we  have  such  plenty,  as  to  be  exceeded  by  no  Coun- 
try in  the  World  of  equal  Extent.  It  is  a  Metal  of 
intrinsick  Value  beyond  any  other,  and  preferable 
to  the  purest  Gold ;  the  former  is  converted  into  num- 
berless Forms  for  as  many  indispensible  Uses,  the 
latter  for  its  Portableness  and  Scarcity  is  only  fit  for 
a  Medium  of  Trade :  But  Iron  is  a  Branch  of  it,  and 
I  am  perswaded  will,  one  Time  or  other,  be  one  of 
the  most  valuable  Articles  of  our  Commerce.     Our 


20 


annual  Exports  to  Boston,  Rhode-Island,  and  Con- 
necticut, and  since  the  late  Act  of  Parliament,  to 
England,  are  far  from  being  inconsiderable.  The 
Bodies  of  Iron  Oar  in  the  Northern  Parts  of  this 
Province  are  so  many,  their  Quality  so  good,  and 
their  Situation  so  convenient,  in  respect  of  Wood, 
Water,  Hearth-Stone,  proper  Fluxes,  and  Carriage, 
for  Furnaces,  Bloomeries,  and  Forges,  that  with  a 
little  Attention  we  might  very  soon  rival  the  Sweeds 
in  the  Produce  of  this  Article.  If  any  American  At- 
tempts in  Iron  Works  have  provM  abortive,  and  dis- 
appointed their  Undertakers,  it  is  not  to  be  imputed 
either  to  the  Quality  of  the  Oar,  or  a  Defect  of  Con- 
veniences. The  Want  of  more  Workmen,  and  the 
Villany  of  those  we  generally  have,  are  the  only 
Causes  to  which  we  must  attribute  such  Miscarriages. 
No  Man  who  has  been  concerned  in  them  will  dis- 
agree with  me,  if  I  assert,  that  from  the  Founder  of 
the  Furnace  to  the  meanest  Banksman  or  Jobber, 
they  are  usually  low,  profligate,  drunken  and  faith- 
less. And  yet  under  all  the  innumerable  Disadvan- 
tages of  such  Instruments,  very  large  Estates  have, 
in  this  way,  been  raised  in  some  of  our  Colonies.  Our 

21 


Success,  therefore,  in  the  Iron  Manufactory,  is  ob- 
structed and  discouraged  by  the  Want  of  Workmen, 
and  the  high  Price  of  Labour,  its  necessaiy  Conse- 
quence, and  by  these  alone :  But  'tis  our  Happiness 
that  such  only  being  the  Cause,  the  Means  of  Redress 
are  intirely  in  our  own  Hands.  Nothing  more  is 
wanting  to  open  a  vast  Fund  of  Riches  to  the  Pro- 
vince, in  this  Branch  of  Trade,  than  the  Importation 
of  Foreigners.  If  our  Merchants  and  landed  Gen- 
tlemen, could  be  brought  to  a  Coalition  in  this  De- 
sign, their  private  Interests  would  not  be  better  ad- 
vanced by  it,  than  the  public  Emolument;  the  latter 
in  particular,  would  thereby  vastly  improve  their 
Lands,  increase  the  Number,  and  raise  the  Rents  of 
their  Tenants.  And  I  cannot  but  think,  that  if  those 
Gentlemen  who  are  too  inactive  to  engage  in  such  an 
Enterprize,  would  only  be  at  the  pains  of  drawing  up 
full  Representations  of  their  Advantages  for  Iron 
Works,  and  of  publishing  them  from  time  to  time  in 
Great-Britain,  Ireland,  Germany  and  Sweden,  the 
Province  would  soon  be  supplied,  with  a  sufficient 
Number  of  capable  Workmen  in  all  the  Branches  of 
that  Manufactory. 

22 


Of  the  Fertility  of  our  Soil  there  needs  no  other 
Proof,  than  the  vast  Quantity  of  Flour  and  other  Pro- 
duce we  annually  export,  by  which  alone  we  have 
been  enabled  to  bear  up  under  our  late  prodigious 
and  expensive  Importation  of  dry  Goods  from  Eu- 
rope. The  Province  is  well  watered,  and  abounds 
with  Timber  and  other  Materials  for  naval  Stores, 
and  is  capable  (as  hath  been  said)  to  raise  annually 
Forty  Thousand  Tons  of  Hemp.  Whenever  our 
Husbandmen  are  driven  to  a  greater  Attention  to 
Agriculture  than  is  necessary  at  present,  it  will  be 
found  that  we  are  most  happily  supplied  with  a  Va- 
riety of  Manure,  adapted  to  the  different  Genius  of 
the  Soil  in  various  Parts  of  the  Province.  In  those 
near  the  Sea,  where  the  Ground  is  light  and  yielding, 
the  Shore  is  covered  with  a  Sea  Weed,  by  which  it 
may  be  exceedingly  enriched.  The  Land  along 
Hudson's  River,  is  in  general  colder  and  tough,  but 
Lime,  which  is  its  natural  Cure,  may  be  every  where 
obtained:  Hills  of  Lime-Stone  being  plentifully 
found  on  both  Sides  of  the  River. 

I  might  inlarge  this  Detail,  with  the  Enumeration 

23 


of  many  other  Marks  of  the  exuberant  Bounty,  and 
peculiar  Favour  of  Providence  to  us,  beyond  any 
other  Province  on  the  Continent;  but  the  Limits  I 
have  prescribed  to  my  Papers  forbid  a  more  ample 
Display. 


24 


